Best Medigap Plans 2026: Plan Comparison

Original Medicare is not full coverage. You already know this if you've spent five minutes looking into it. Medicare Part A covers hospital stays but leaves you on the hook for a $1,676 deductible per benefit period in 2026. Part B covers outpatient care but after a $283 annual deductible, you owe 20% of every approved charge—with no out-of-pocket maximum. None. Zero cap. Which means a bad year medically can cost you $10,000, $20,000, or more.

Medigap—also called Medicare Supplement—fills those gaps. Private insurance companies sell these policies, but the federal government standardizes the benefits. Plan G from Cigna covers exactly the same things as Plan G from Mutual of Omaha. Same benefits. Different price. That standardization is actually your friend once you understand it, because it means you can shop purely on price and company stability without worrying that you're comparing apples to oranges.

There are 10 standardized plans available in most states: A, B, C, D, F, G, K, L, M, and N. Plans C and F are off the table if you turned 65 on or after January 1, 2020. Congress closed them to new enrollees because they covered the Part B deductible, which was seen as encouraging overutilization. If you're newly Medicare-eligible in 2026, forget F and C exist.

For everyone else? Plan G is the answer for most people. But let me walk through all of them so you can see why.

Every Medigap plan covers these core items to varying degrees: Medicare Part A coinsurance and hospital costs, Part B coinsurance or copayment, the first three pints of blood, Part A hospice care coinsurance, and skilled nursing facility coinsurance. The differences kick in on the deductibles, excess charges, and foreign travel emergency coverage.

Plan A — The Bare Bones This is the minimum. Plan A covers Part A and Part B coinsurance, the blood benefit, and hospice coinsurance. That's it. No deductibles covered, no excess charges, no foreign travel. Premiums at age 65 run roughly $80–$140/month depending on state. Honestly, not worth it for most people. You're only saving maybe $30/month versus Plan N and giving up a lot of protection.

Plan B — One Step Up Adds coverage for the Part A hospital deductible ($1,676 in 2026) on top of everything Plan A covers. Premiums: approximately $100–$165/month at age 65. Still no Part B deductible coverage, no excess charges. A middle-of-nowhere plan that rarely makes sense when you look at the math against Plan G.

Plan D — The Forgotten Middle Child Covers Part A deductible, Part B coinsurance, blood, hospice, skilled nursing, and foreign travel emergency. Doesn't cover the Part B deductible or excess charges. Premiums run $130–$175/month at 65. Rarely recommended. If you're going this far you might as well go to Plan G.

Plan F — Grandfathered Gold Standard If you were eligible for Medicare before January 1, 2020, Plan F is still available to you. It covers literally everything—both Part A and Part B deductibles, all coinsurance, excess charges, foreign travel emergency. Total peace of mind, zero math. Premiums: $170–$270/month at 65. The catch is that since new enrollees can't join, the risk pool is aging fast and premiums are projected to climb faster than Plan G. If you're already on Plan F, the question of whether to switch to G is worth running the numbers on annually.

High-Deductible Plan F — Almost Nobody Talks About This Same benefits as Plan F but you pay the first $2,950 of Medicare-covered costs out of pocket in 2026 before the policy kicks in. Premiums: $35–$55/month at 65. Makes sense for healthy people who want catastrophic protection and are comfortable self-insuring the first chunk. Niche but underrated.

Plan G — The One Everyone Should Be Considering Covers everything Plan F covers except the $283 Part B deductible. That's the only gap. Premiums run $140–$260/month at age 65 nationally. If you do the math—$283 deductible versus the premium savings over Plan F—Plan G almost always wins for new enrollees. This is the current market leader and for good reason.

High-Deductible Plan G — The Budget Play Same concept as HD Plan F but for new enrollees. You owe the first $2,950 out of pocket before coverage activates in 2026. Premiums: $40–$65/month at 65. If you're in great health and want to keep monthly costs low while having a backstop against catastrophic bills, this is genuinely worth looking at. Most agents don't push it because the commission is lower—be aware of that dynamic.

Plan K — The 50% Plan Coverage is cut in half. You pay 50% of Part B coinsurance, 50% of blood costs, 50% of hospice costs. Plan K does cover 100% of the Part A deductible after 2026 and has an out-of-pocket cap of $7,220 for the year. Premiums run $70–$100/month. The annual cap is nice, but honestly, the coverage gaps are too unpredictable for most retirees on fixed income.

Plan L — The 75% Plan Same structure as Plan K but covers 75% instead of 50%. Annual out-of-pocket cap is $3,610 in 2026. Premiums: $95–$135/month. Better than K, but still not as clean as G or N.

Plan M — The Split Deductible Plan Covers 50% of the Part A deductible, all of Part B coinsurance, blood, hospice, SNF, and foreign travel. No Part B deductible, no excess charges. Premiums: $120–$165/month. The appeal is lower premiums than G while still protecting against big hospital bills partially. Rarely sold, rarely the right answer.

Plan N — The Smart Runner-Up Covers Part A deductible, Part B coinsurance except up to $20 copay for office visits and up to $50 for ER visits that don't result in admission. Does not cover excess charges. Premiums: $110–$190/month at 65. The Plan G alternative that's worth serious consideration if you're healthy and don't see doctors constantly. Full breakdown in the G vs N article.

This isn't complicated if you strip away the noise.

Tier 1 — Buy This: Plan G The best plan for most people turning 65 in 2026. One out-of-pocket cost: the $283 Part B deductible once a year. After that, zero surprise bills regardless of how many times you see a doctor, how long you're in the hospital, or what specialists you need. Premium range nationally at age 65: $140 to $260/month. If you're in a high-premium state like New York, you're paying $350+/month but you're also getting community-rated pricing with no age increases—which pays off long-term.

Why it wins: Predictability. If you're on a fixed income, knowing your Medicare costs are capped at $283/year plus your monthly premium is genuinely valuable. The peace of mind factor is real, not just marketing language.

Tier 1 (honorable mention) — Plan N If you're 65, healthy, and primarily see one or two doctors a year, Plan N saves you $40–$70/month versus Plan G while still protecting you against catastrophic costs. The copays matter, but the math often favors N for active, healthy retirees. See the full comparison article for the actual scenarios.

Tier 2 — Situational: High-Deductible Plan G For people under 70 in good health who have some savings buffer and want to minimize monthly premiums. The $2,950 annual deductible sounds scary but you're still protected above that threshold. Works well for people who are rarely sick and want to invest the premium difference.

Tier 3 — Grandfathered Only: Plan F Only relevant if you were Medicare-eligible before 2020 and are already enrolled. Excellent coverage but a shrinking, aging risk pool means premiums are rising faster than G. Worth an annual comparison.

Tier 4 — Rarely Make Sense: Plans A, B, D, K, L, M There are niche scenarios where these work—Plan K and L for people who genuinely want a lower premium and accept some risk, Plan D in specific state markets. But for the vast majority of Medicare beneficiaries shopping in 2026, these plans fill no practical need that G or N don't serve better.

Remember: the benefits are standardized. A Plan G is a Plan G. What you're actually evaluating when you compare carriers is: price, rate increase history, financial strength, and customer service.

Best for Plan G: Cigna Consistently the most competitive on price in states where it's available. In Texas, Cigna's Plan G runs around $167/month at 65. Georgia: $198. It also offers household discounts (usually 7–14% if two people in the household are both enrolled). Financial strength: A rating from AM Best. One caveat—Cigna's rate increases have been larger in some states than others, so check the history in your specific state before signing.

Best for Price Stability: Mutual of Omaha Not always the cheapest upfront but known for more moderate annual rate increases than some competitors. If you're planning to stay on the same plan for 10–20 years, a carrier with 3–4% annual increases beats one that starts $20 cheaper but raises rates 8% a year. Mutual of Omaha has been in the Medigap market for decades and their actuarial track record is solid.

Best for Brand Recognition and Network: AARP/UnitedHealthcare The largest Medigap insurer in the country. AARP-branded plans are actually underwritten by UnitedHealthcare. Solid option if you want a massive network, strong digital tools, and a name you've heard of. Premiums tend to be mid-range rather than cheapest. One thing UHC does that others don't: they use attained-age pricing but often lock in lower rates for people who enroll during guaranteed issue. Their Silver Sneakers gym membership inclusion is a genuine perk.

Best for Claims Experience: Aetna A+ rating from S&P, A from AM Best. Available in 43 states. Premiums are competitive but not always the lowest. Historically strong on claims processing and customer service ratings. If you anticipate heavy utilization—multiple doctors, complex conditions—Aetna is worth paying a modest premium over the cheapest option.

Best for Plan N Specifically: Cigna, Aetna Both offer competitive Plan N pricing and neither has a pattern of using excess charges as a denial tool (though they can't control what non-participating doctors charge). Cigna's Plan N in many markets comes in around $110–$130/month at 65, which is hard to beat.

Best for Plan K/L: Humana If you're specifically shopping the cost-sharing plans, Humana competes on K and L pricing in ways other major carriers don't. Their customer service ratings are decent and they're available in all 50 states.

Regional carriers to watch: Blue Cross Blue Shield affiliates vary wildly by state. In some states—Minnesota, Montana, Wyoming—local BCBS affiliates offer the most competitive rates and the most stable increases. Always check locals alongside the nationals.

Carriers to approach with caution: Manhattan Life and some smaller carriers that compete on price aggressively in certain markets but have histories of large rate spikes 2–3 years after enrollment. Low intro rate, painful renewal. Always ask for rate increase history before you sign.

This is where it gets real. Medigap premiums are not static—they vary by your age when you buy, how the carrier prices (attained-age, issue-age, or community-rated), your gender (in most states), tobacco use, and your ZIP code. Here's what you're generally looking at for Plan G nationally in 2026:

Age 65: $140–$260/month Age 70: $175–$310/month Age 75: $215–$380/month Age 80: $270–$450/month

For Plan N, knock roughly 20–30% off those figures. High-Deductible Plan G is dramatically lower—$40–$80/month across most age bands.

Now here's the thing nobody tells you plainly: these ranges represent the same plan. The cheapest Plan G and the most expensive Plan G at age 65 cover identical benefits. You could literally be paying $120/month more for the exact same coverage just because you picked the wrong carrier or didn't shop around. This is not a metaphor. It happens constantly.

Household discounts: Most carriers offer 5–14% off if your spouse or domestic partner is also enrolled in any plan from the same carrier. This is real money—often $15–$35/month back in your pocket.

Tobacco surcharge: If you smoke, expect 10–15% higher premiums from most carriers. Some carriers don't ask; some will check your prescription history.

Gender pricing: Most states allow different rates for men and women. In general, women pay less at age 65 but the gap narrows over time. Massachusetts, Maine, and Connecticut prohibit gender-based pricing.

The process should be: decide on the plan letter, then shop carriers.

Step one is figuring out which letter makes sense for you. For 98% of people: Plan G if you want zero surprises, Plan N if you're healthy and willing to manage small copays, High-Deductible Plan G if you're young-65, healthy, and want the lowest monthly outlay.

Step two is getting quotes from at least 5–7 carriers in your ZIP code. Benefits are standardized, so the only variables are price and company quality. Use the rate comparison tools at Medicare.gov as a starting point, then call a few independent agents to verify you're seeing all available options.

Step three: check rate increase history. This is the one thing most people skip. Ask any agent or carrier what their average annual rate increase has been in your state over the past 5 years. This is public information. A carrier with a 3% average annual increase versus 7% will cost dramatically less at age 80 even if they start $25/month more expensive today.

Step four: enroll during your Medigap Open Enrollment Period—the 6 months starting the month you turn 65 and are enrolled in Part B. During this window, no carrier can deny you, charge you more for pre-existing conditions, or make you wait. Outside this window, underwriting kicks in and a carrier can flat-out reject your application. The window matters more than anything else. More on that in the Open Enrollment article.

Don't let anyone talk you into Medicare Advantage instead of Medigap without showing you the math. They're different products. MA plans can look appealing with $0 premiums but they have network restrictions, prior authorization requirements, and out-of-pocket maximums up to $9,350 or higher in 2026. Medigap plus Original Medicare means any doctor who accepts Medicare—95%+ of US physicians—is in network, always.